Abstract
Purpose: :
The aim of this work is to assess the anatomic retinal changes and their correlation with the clinical findings of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants, evaluated by fluoroscein angiography (FA).
Methods: :
Observational,clinical, descriptive, non randomized, case series study of ten prematures equivalent to twenty eyes, to which they were performed a fluorescein angiography in both eyes from their first week of age, each week subsequently. Both clinical fundus pictures and fluorescein angiographies were performed using the RETCAM II (massie labs. CA USA) and its blue excitation light source with yellow-green filter.
Results: :
The Ethics Committee approved the use of Fundus fluorescein angiography as part of ROP screening. Parent’s informed consent was obtained. We did not interfere with any medical decision taken by pediatricians in regards to their treatment nor management. Our main findings within the first two weeks of life, showed vascular abnormalities such as hipofluorescence secondary to the defect in the fluorescein perfusion, accompanied with a fragmented vascular column and lost of the centriphugel vascular pattern, we also noticed arteriovenous shunts, and later within the 3rd ans 4th week, hiperfluorescence, because of the neovascular leakages.These anatomic and clinical changes are more accentuated and visible in the clinical fundus pictures within the pass of weeks, on the contrary with the FA we could describe the early anatomic changes that develop ROP since the first week that we began the screening. There were no adverse effects in our patients related to fluorescein administration or any other feature of our methods.
Conclusions: :
The anatomic changes associated to the progression of ROP are detected by fluorescein angiography as early as in the first weeks of age, an early ROP screening that includes a FA allows a more accurate and faster diagnosis.
Keywords: retinopathy of prematurity • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • imaging/image analysis: clinical